LGU launches expanded waste mgt training program with allies

The City Government of Naga, in partnership with the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), Coca-Cola Philippines, and the Camarines Sur Institute of Fisheries and Marine Sciences (CASIFMAS), has launched the Solid Waste Management Operations (SWMO) Level III Training Program in the city.

The initiative marks the first official rollout of the program under the Trash Free Philippines (TFP) Program and aims to strengthen local capacities in ecological solid waste management.

The Memorandum of Agreement signing and Training Induction Program were held on June 17, 2026, at Zone 7, San Isidro, Naga City. The event gathered representatives from national and local government agencies, academic institutions, community organizations, and private sector stakeholders.

Among those present during the launch were TESDA Director General and Secretary Jose Francisco “Kiko” Benitez, Naga City Mayor Leni Robredo, and Coca-Cola Philippines Senior Director for Public Affairs, Sustainability and Communications Christine Ponce-Garcia.

According to organizers, the training program seeks to address persistent gaps faced by local government units and barangays in implementing Republic Act 9003 or the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act.

Participants will undergo training in waste management planning, materials recovery operations, waste segregation systems, information and education campaigns, enterprise development, and local policy formulation. The program combines classroom instruction, fieldwork, and practical outputs, including the preparation of barangay solid waste management plans.

Ponce-Garcia emphasized the importance of recognizing solid waste management as an essential profession and said the initiative will help strengthen technical capability at the barangay level while opening opportunities for skills recognition and employment.

Robredo said the city has long been committed to responsible waste management and noted that the program would further support barangay officials and frontline workers implementing community-based waste management programs.

Under the partnership, TESDA will oversee curriculum development, training delivery standards, accreditation requirements, and program institutionalization. CASIFMAS will manage local implementation, while the City Government of Naga will provide the training site and support participant coordination and community engagement.

Coca-Cola Philippines, meanwhile, will assist through framework development and support for pilot training runs in coordination with government and academic partners.

The first batch of trainees includes barangay officers and solid waste management personnel from across Naga City.

The program traces its roots to consultations conducted by Coca-Cola Philippines in 2021 in several local government units, including Pavia, Iloilo, and Bacolod City, where officials identified continuing challenges in implementing RA 9003.

A pilot version of the training program was first launched in Angono, Rizal in 2022. Organizers said the pilot produced barangay solid waste management plans, information campaign materials, enterprise concepts, and draft ordinances.

TESDA is now institutionalizing the SWMO Level III program as part of its national green skills and technical-vocational education offerings.

Organizers said the Naga City rollout demonstrates how collaboration among government agencies, academic institutions, communities, and the private sector can help strengthen local solid waste management systems.